#165. Twisted Fate (2)
Meanwhile, Sasha led the guests outside.
Her intent was to separate the people from the hall where the battle might occur, preventing any potential harm.
The garden adjoining the hall had been carefully arranged, and the weather, unusually warm for the north, allowed the outdoor party to maintain the same lively atmosphere.
As expected, the guests didn’t find it strange to move from the hall to the external garden.
In fact, perhaps thanks to the Duke’s return, they were too excited, talking non-stop about how much had been prepared today.
Soon, the garden party continued in its usual lively manner.
Sasha moved among the guests, attending to them.
Even those who had been anxious quickly calmed down after speaking with her. Her close-range stabilizing magic was very effective.
Being around her made people feel at ease, and the conversations were engaging. Most importantly, those seeking connections with her eagerly tried to prolong their discussions.
Sasha distributed her time fairly, ensuring no one was left out.
Still, she reserved a little extra time for the members of the Sasamo group who had helped earlier.
The young ladies squealed in delight, bombarding Sasha with questions.
“That surprise event earlier was amazing and so much fun! The chandelier exploding into flowers and confetti was more beautiful than fireworks…!”
Sasha smiled, responding graciously to the praise from the wide-eyed young ladies.
“It was a simple magic trick. But it could have been dangerous if done incorrectly, so you must be careful.”
Though she answered politely, her attention was focused entirely on the building itself.
Despite keeping a close watch, she hadn’t expected Naina to be a dark mage.
And capable of summoning a monster in a place with no power…
She had watched Naina collapse from exhaustion after summoning a single creature and had judged her no longer a threat, leaving Pavel to handle her. But that didn’t mean she could relax entirely.
Sasha resolved to finish the party quickly and check on the situation inside as soon as possible.
After successfully ending the party and seeing off the last guest, Sasha finally reunited with Pavel.
He had locked Naina and all the servants who had followed her orders in the underground dungeon, interrogating them.
Fortunately, no one had been injured.
Sasha, checking Pavel as if she were about to strip him bare, sighed in relief and sat on the long sofa.
As Pavel sat beside her, holding and massaging her hand, Sasha pressed her forehead and spoke with a sigh.
“Naina… no, that woman… I think she’s a dark mage.”
“Dark magic?”
Pavel frowned, narrowing his eyes as he pondered.
“I think I’ve heard of it… it appeared briefly long ago and then vanished, didn’t it?”
“Yes. But I’m certain it’s dark magic.”
Sasha was sure. What she had seen when Naina summoned the monster was undeniably dark magic.
By now, wizards were rare, and dark mages even rarer. Most people wouldn’t even recognize the danger, let alone know what it was.
A thousand years ago, a dark mage would be executed immediately if discovered.
During her life as a grand mage, Sasha had acquired extensive knowledge of magic, including dark magic, as a precautionary study.
She had never revealed it, of course, as it would have been dangerous. But in the uppermost, secret floors of the mage tower, she studied dark magic alone.
Her curiosity for knowledge was boundless; understanding reality was more effective than harboring vague fears when facing enemies.
Dark magic had been deemed evil because, unlike other magic, it did not use mana. Instead, it consumed magia—the energy of death familiar only to monsters.
Ordinary humans could not wield it; to do so required the presence of intense death energy.
Dark magic was shunned not just for being unsettling, but because using it demanded the sacrifice of living beings.
The dark magic Naina had attempted also relied on a sacrifice.
By connecting the totems held by the servants acting on Naina’s orders, a magic circle would form. Had it been completed, the lives of everyone in the hall would have been offered as a tribute.
Good thing I noticed and stopped it in time.
Sasha exhaled in relief. The spell was blocked before it could harm anyone.
Moreover, afterward, Naina used up the remaining magia to summon a monster, preventing her from casting any other dark spells.
For the time being, she would be limited to the abilities of a normal human.
So Sasha could rest assured she didn’t need to immediately deal with Naina in the dungeon.
Still… how did she learn dark magic?
It made no sense that Naina had accidentally learned a form of magic that had been dormant for nearly a thousand years.
Her approaching Pavel and visiting the Belikor Castle was also suspicious. What was her true identity?
Since learning this, Sasha had been desperate to find out.
Other mysteries had become clearer.
It was understandable why Pavel hadn’t detected her abilities—dark magic likely interfered.
And the prophecy—whether she could truly see the future was uncertain, but if she could, it likely wasn’t normal and probably another form of dark magic.
Her record before meeting Gregory was too clean, and she had been able to gain excessive favor from people.
Now that Sasha knew she was a witch using dark magic, other issues were resolved. What remained was discovering how Naina had acquired it and what her true purpose was.
Clang!
A loud sound brought Sasha out of her thoughts.
She and Pavel had come to the parlor attached to his bedroom to talk.
Eika, who had been running around all day, arrived, delighted to see her owners finally at ease.
Having been too busy to play with her, Pavel had risen from his seat to entertain Eika, who pawed at him pitifully.
“Clang! Grrowl!”
The dog, now far too big to call a puppy, stood on two legs, tapping Pavel’s thighs impatiently.
“Wait, Eika. I’ll give you a treat. Hold on.”
“Woof!”
Pavel disciplined her firmly.
“Grrr.”
Eika cautiously lowered her body, lying down in submission. Pavel smiled and said softly,
“Good girl. Here, eat.”
After tossing her a treat, Pavel sat back down beside Sasha, looking tired from playing with a dog larger than a child.
Sasha handed him a glass of water from the side table.
“Here. Thirsty?”
“Thanks.”
While Pavel drank, Eika, having finished her treat, wagged her tail and pressed against Sasha’s legs.
The dog had been lonely with fewer people around, but seeing Sasha and Pavel together brought her immense joy.
Occasionally, her gaze toward the doorway hinted she was waiting for someone.
“Looks like she wants to see her father,” Pavel said.
Sasha looked in the direction he indicated, noticing Eika’s longing expression.
“I wondered what she was thinking, didn’t you?”
“Yes… I did. And… yes, that’s it.”
Sasha patted Eika’s head, comforted.
Eika wagged her tail happily, exposing her belly.
Pavel leaned down to rub it and said,
“It’s okay. She feels happy being with us.”
“…That’s a relief.”
Because Pavel could sense the thoughts of those he touched, Sasha felt truly reassured, hearing his honest words.
Yet her mind remained heavy.
The number of servants captured along with Naina was significant.
How many times had her estate been thrown into chaos because of that woman?
The first time was with Count Tula, and several more incidents followed.
Even if those who opposed her first deserved punishment, disciplining those who had lived alongside her was never easy.
It’s like playing whack-a-mole.
Sasha recalled the arcade game she used to play in her previous life.
When one mole was hit, another popped up immediately. No matter how hard she tried, the game didn’t end.
Being the dominant figure in a region felt similar. Outwardly compliant, yet harboring resentment, and attacking at the slightest opportunity.
This cycle would continue.
Sasha pressed her temples, weary from the constant conflict.
Watching her, Pavel suddenly spoke.
“But Sasha, the North is your home.”
Sasha turned her gaze to him, meeting his eyes.
“The North… loves you.”
